1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to quick connectors and, more specifically, to quick connectors including an internal retainer and means providing an indication of complete coupling between the male and female elements of the quick connector.
2. Description of the Art
Snap-fit or quick connectors are employed in a wide range of applications, particularly, for joining fluid carrying conduits in automotive and industrial application. In a typical quick connector, a retainer is fixedly mounted within a bore in a housing of a female connector component or element. The retainer has a plurality of radially extending legs which extend inwardly toward the axial center line of the bore in the housing. A tube or fitting to be sealingly mounted in the bore in the female component includes a radially upset portion or flange which abuts an inner peripheral surface of the retainer legs. Seal and spacer members as well as a bearing or top hat are typically mounted in the bore ahead of the retainer to form a seal between the housing and the male fitting when the male fitting is lockingly engaged with the retainer legs.
While such a retainer is usually effective in releasably coupling the male and female elements of a quick connector, it is possible that the male fitting may be partially, but not fully seated or coupled to the internal seal elements in the bore of the female component and not fully locked in position by the retainer legs. In this partially engaged position, the male fitting may work itself free of the housing thereby leading to leaks in the fluid delivery system.
As it is desirable to ensure that the male and female elements are fully coupled to prevent leaks, various indicators have been provided to indicate a full coupling or seating of the male fitting in the female element. In one type of indicator shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,217, a deformable member is assembled within the fitting which includes elongated members extending out of the housing between the male and female elements prior to coupling and which are retracted, and no longer visible, once the coupling has been fully accomplished. The annular member in this device remains in assembly with the quick connector and contributes to component count, tolerance stack-up and possible misassembly. Furthermore, the elongated members which are visible during non-coupling of the connector are, by design, not visible after coupling is fully effected. In many applications, such as an extremely crowded engine compartment of a motor vehicle, the installed coupling may be difficult to see and inspect closely. Thus, the inability to see the elongated members from a distance or from an awkward position will not result in a high degree of confidence that the coupling has in fact fully taken place.
Other types of visual indicators, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,205, are removable after full coupling of the male and female quick connector elements. However, the indicator disclosed in this patent is complex and adds considerable axial length to the quick connector.
To overcome these problems and to provide an advancement in the quick connector art, the quick connect insertion indicator clip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,555, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, was devised. This indicator clip includes a flag portion positioned externally of the quick connector and has members extending from the flag portion to embrace the female element of the quick connector. Engagement tabs extending from the members through registering apertures in the female element will contact an abutment surface formed on the male element upon full coupling of the male and female components to enable removal of the indicator device as verification of complete or full coupling. When coupling is incomplete or not fully effected, the indicator device cannot be removed from the female component.
While the insertion indicator clip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,555 provides an easily visible indication of complete coupling of quick connector components, the quick connector still requires a separate retainer to lockingly couple the male and female components together.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a retainer for a quick connector which performs the dual functions of lockingly engaging the female and male components as well as providing a visual indication of complete or incomplete coupling between the male and female components. It would also be desirable to provide a retainer for a quick connector which has a simple construction for a low manufacturing cost and ease of use. It would also be desirable to provide a retainer for a quick connector which provides a visual indication of coupling and which does not require extensive modification to existing quick connector designs. Finally, it would be desirable to provide a retainer for a quick connector which can be installed in a temporary engaged position on the female component of the quick connector for shipment and subsequent use.